Wisconsin toddler's family believes he climbed into car trunk himself

The family of a rural Wisconsin boy whose body was found last week in the trunk of a locked car believes the 2-year-old climbed into the vehicle on his own, their pastor said Monday.

The Rev. Rick Van Gundy of St. Peter's Community Church in Dresser said the family thinks Isaiah Theis, 2, took the keys from his father's mechanic shop near their house in rural Centuria, opened the trunk and got inside.

Van Gundy, who also is a family friend, said he shares their belief and said the scenario was "definitely not outside the bounds of (Isaiah) being curious and adventurous."

"He spent a lot of time with dad in the shop, and if he saw you do something once, he could repeat it easily," Van Gundy said.

Isaiah's body was found in the trunk of the Chevrolet Impala about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday -- almost 27 hours after he was last seen playing with his brother in their home. The car was on the property to be serviced, and the trunk was not searched until the owner arrived to remove the vehicle.

Van Gundy said the Theis family said the car's keys were found with the boy's body.

Investigators could not be reached for comment on Van Gundy's comments.

Shortly after the body's discovery, Chief Deputy Steve Moe of the Polk County sheriff's office said it was too early in the investigation to address how Isaiah got into the trunk.

"Right now, everything is on the table," he said at the time.

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Moe said last week that the trunk was not searched earlier because authorities believed the car had been locked and could not have been accessed.

Van Gundy said the family did not fault searchers for failing to look in the trunk. He said they know that they did everything that they could. "They have nothing but thanks for the emergency services," he said.

An estimated 2,450 people joined the search as the temperature reached into the 90s during one of the hottest days of the year.

A preliminary autopsy summary released last week showed the boy died from probable hyperthermia -- extreme overheating.

Isaiah was a normally developed, well-nourished 2-year-old who had no fractures to his bones or traumatic, life-threatening injuries, according to the summary released Friday by the Polk County sheriff's office.

Van Gundy said the boy was a "great kid" -- smart, outgoing, curious and happy.

"He was just an amazing little boy," he said. "He was absolutely on the go all the time -- just go, go, go."

Isaiah's family is hurting, Van Gundy said.

"It's been a very, very trying and traumatic time, but I think now they're starting to see there is some hope beyond (this)," he said.

The past several days have been a whirlwind for the family and hard on them physically and emotionally.

"I've been telling people that as awful as you think this might be, times it by five and you might come close to touching what the family has gone through," Van Gundy said.

A funeral has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Alliance Church of the Valley in St. Croix Falls, Wis. Visitation will be at the church one hour before the service and from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Trollhaugen Convention Center in Dresser.

The family asked that media do not attend the service or visitation, Van Gundy said.